Modern survey lines no longer etched in stone

Surveyors preparing new communities in the desert in north Phoenix, using laptop computers and satellite technology, are learning firsthand how their counterparts on horseback marked property lines in the late 1800s.

During federal government surveys conducted between 1867 and 1893, surveyors marked section corners with oblong stones called monuments. Markings were chiseled into each monument to identify the section corners and quarter corners in the township, said Paul Sowers, survey manager at CMX Group Inc.

CMX is surveying land for several homebuilders with plans for new communities in the North Black Canyon Corridor, roughly east of Interstate 17 and south of Carefree Highway. Those surveys have uncovered 28 original monuments that date to the late 19th century, Sowers said.

As the north Phoenix region is developed, the stone monuments will be replaced with brass-capped metal pipes. Eventually, as streets are built, the brass caps will be placed in metal cases that are installed in the centers of major street intersections.

Intel construction

A general-purpose office building with 320,000 square feet on four floors is planned on Intel Corp.'s campus at 5000 W. Chandler Blvd.

The building will have space for about 1,200 employees. It will feature a 4,500-square-foot auditorium and a 3,000-square-foot visitor education center. Completion is set for late 2001.

Infill, by McCarthy

A two-story condominium community with 34 units is nearing completion on 2.6 acres in east Phoenix by McCarthy. Desert Palms Village, 3221 N. 37th St., is one of the latest examples of "infill" development. McCarthy's Special Projects Group is finishing the subdivision's first phase. The units range from $126,000 to $134,000.

Mike Padgett covers real estate and growth issues. He can be reached at 602-230-8400, Ext. 125, or by e-mail at mpadgett@bizjournals.com.